Gov. Josh Shapiro Attacks Legislators Protecting Women’s Sports

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro criticized the proponents of a bill that would ban males from competing in women’s sports in public schools and public universities.

“What we do not need in Pennsylvania are politicians—extremist politicians like [President] Donald Trump, Doug Mastriano, and these others—trying to legislate a student’s participation and legislate the restriction on freedom,” Shapiro, a Democrat, said on Tuesday, according to PBS member TV station WITF.

The Pennsylvania governor declined to go so far as to say he would veto the bipartisan bill, which passed the state Senate after earning the full support of Republicans and the votes of five Democrat senators in the 50-member legislative body. 

“It’s a hypothetical. The House isn’t moving that bill, and I haven’t reviewed it specifically,” the governor, who is said to have presidential ambitions, remarked. 

“I think the only thing that is extreme about the entire commentary is the governor’s position on the issue, which is to allow biological men in women’s locker rooms and taking women’s athletics achievements from them,” state Rep. Martina White said in response to the governor’s criticism, WITF reported.

The bill’s supporters note that when males who claim to identify as female compete in women’s sports, they often enjoy competitive advantages that deprive women of honors and awards. Opponents say the legislation represents an attack on people who identify as transgender, and that the small number of male athletes competing in women’s sports does not pose a threat to fairness.

Democrats have one more vote than Republicans in the Pennsylvania House, rendering the GOP a minority party. Democrats had previously used legislative maneuvering to thwart a Republican-led attempt to discharge the women’s sports bill out of committee, so that it could come up for a full vote on the floor of the House.

“We’re delaying justice for girls. We’re prioritizing the delusions of some over the privacy, safety, and welfare of millions of girls in the Commonwealth,” Republican state Rep. Joseph D’Orsie previously said regarding delaying a vote on the bill. 

The Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported on the governor’s almost $3 million budget for his media, press, and communications team. That budget has contributed to a 69% increase in spending for the governor’s office in the most recent state budget compared to the last budget year of Shapiro’s predecessor, Tom Wolf. That means Pennsylvania taxpayers are spending about $11.6 million to fund the governor’s staff in the latest state budget compared to the less than $7 million during Wolf’s final year in office. 

According to the Inquirer, Shapiro has 21 well-compensated employees dedicated to promoting his brand, compared to the just seven employees under Wolf at the same point in his first term. Twelve of Shapiro’s employees earn more than $100,000 per year, and some make as much as $190,000 for their government work. 

“The governor believes there should be no wrong door to access state government, and the state’s top priority should be serving Pennsylvanians and meeting people where they are—online, through efficient services, and in their communities,” the governor’s press secretary told the Inquirer. 

The conservative Commonwealth Foundation has criticized Shapiro for his use of the social media app TikTok, which the FBI has said poses national security concerns because the Chinese Communist Party can weaponize it to spy on Americans. Pennsylvania’s Treasury Department bans the installation of TikTok on department devices.

Pennsylvania lawmakers are currently hammering out the state’s annual spending with the governor. While Shapiro has asked to further increase his office’s budget to $12 million for 2026, some legislators have said his staff funds may be on the chopping block. 

The Daily Signal has reached out to the governor’s press office for comment.